Roof rail weatherstrip



Jan. 12, 1965 w. J. HARMs ETAL ROOF' RAIL WEATHERSTRIP Filed June 15, 1962 J'OSEPH A4. STORCZYK 5 w w m w M W I z af flnf nfn/ United States PatentO 3,164,870 ROF RAHL WEATHERSTRP William .1. Harms, Dearhorn, and Joseph M. Stolarczyk, Wyandotte, Mieli., assignors to Ford Motor Company, Dearhorn, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed .inne 15, 1962, Ser. No. 202,739

' 2 Claims. (Cl. 20-69) This invention relates to a weathersti'ip or sealing device adapted to close the gap between =a body 'frame member defining an edge of aniopening in a vehicle body or the like and a frame member defining an edge of a closure structure movableinto and out` of said opemng.

Passenger Vehicles of the convertible 'type and of the so-called hardtop type are characterized in that the door structures terminate at substantia'lly the vehicle body belt line. This means that the window panels in the vdoor structures are unsupported or unguided above the belt line by a door frame.v The'window panel itself may befrarned, but this frame is relatively thin in cross section y,and functions primarily as ornanientation and asa glass edge protection device. This frame does` not provide a suitable base for a conventional roof rail engaging sealing device.

Accordingly, in convertible 'and hardtop vehicle constructions the sealing device is usually attached to 'the Patented Jan. 12 1955 "ice,

ceeds, particularly when considered in connection With the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a por'tion of a passenger car embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 illustrating the sealing device or weatherstrip in engaged condition; and

PIG. 3 is a view in part similar to FIG. 2 illustrating the sealing device or Weatherstrip in unengaged condition. Referring now to the drawing, there is illustrated a portion of a motor vehicle body 11 havingsa roof 12 and doors 13 provided with vertically movable windows 14.

' In the particular vehicle body style illustrated, the doors roof rail structure. Because the glass panel is unsupported or unguided above the bel-t line of the vehicle body,

there may be an unusual amount of play due to vehicle vibration and there may also be a greater degree of misalignment of the window panel .withsthe' sealing device than is found in a` conventional construction in which the sealing device is carried on the'door frame and-is movw able into engageinent With the. vehicle roof rail. Both of these conditions make it extremely diflicult to provide -an effectiveV sealing action between the window panel edge f i leakage through the `gap between the window frame and 'the roof rail structure.

More specifically, the weather strip or sealing device embodyingithe presen-tinvention comprises an elongated resilient member having a base portion adapted to be mounted against the surface of theroof rail structure of i' a vehicle body and a plurality of sealing elements project- ;ing from said base structure; One`` of these sealing elements extends from the base andis positioned for sealing engagement with one of the side surfaces of the closure or window frame. 'At least two other sealing elements V extend fromv said base and at divergentanglesVthereto.

One of these divergent sealingelements is positioned for sealing engagement by janend surface of the closure con- I relationship 'of the lip `29ito-the sealing element 216 is I 13 do not provide frames for the windows 14 above the vehicle belt'line. Referring 'to FIGS. V2 and 3, it will be noted that the lower edge of hte roof V12 is provided With a substantially horizontally extending flange 15 vte'r'minating i at a pinch-Weld fiange 16. As illustrated, the pinch-weld flange l'is inwardly of the outer edge of the roof rail section of the vehicle body. Or, With reference to the portion of the-window-panel 14 shown, the pinch-Weld cornprising a channel, generaly designated 17, having a ,base portion 18 and outer andinner side walls 19 and 21.

`VThe channel 17 is retainedand cushioned on the window glass by means of a suitable rubber gasket or a sealing' i compound 22. The Weatherstrip or sealing device, generally designated,

'23, embodying the present invention is adapted to be mounted on the underside of the roof rail fiange 15 and in'abutting relationship to thepinch-weld flange 16. The weatherstrip or sealing device `23 is illusti'ated as being secured to the flange 15 by mechanical fastening devicesl 21 i, although it will be readily understood that the Weatherstrip or-sealing device may be cemented to the roof rail. h The Weatherstrip or sealing devicel`23 is preferably formcd, extruded or molded of an elastomeric material such as a rubber or similar resilient material. It'has an elongated, substantially flat or strip-like Vbase portion 25 'through which the `fastening devices 24 are adapted to project.

A plurality of sealing elements 26, 27 and 23 project .from the base portion 25 into the closure opening for engagement by the frame 17 surrounding the peripheral marginal edge of the Window panel 14. The sealing element 26 is located at the inner edge of the base 25 and has a cross ;sectional similarity to the base 25. It extends along the outer surface of the pinch-Weld'fiange lo and is v:somewhat wider than the pinch-Weld'fiange'so as to pro- -ject belowthe lower edge of the fiange. It terminates at its free end at an outwardlyturned lip 29. The angular zsuch that the' lip 29 extends'in the general direction of tiguous to the side surface engaging the'first mentioned sealing device. The other of the divergent sealing elements is swingable'in response` to engagement of the first vdivergent sealing element by'said closure into sealing en- `gagernent with a side surface of. the Yclosure opposite to in which the window panel 'frame or: edge is en'gaged at leach of its sides and-` on its topwsurface by sealing elements. ...w Other objects, advantages andfeatures of this invention Will be made more app'arent as this description-'proits firstlinetionedside.V This results iii-a sealing action `therbase 25. The lip is adapted to berflexed toward the sealing element 26 upon engagement by the window frame.

The sealing elements 27 and 28 comprise leg portions i which extend at divergent angles to the base portion 225.

They are connected at their intersection or juncture by 'a neck portion 31 'to theouter edge of the base portion 125.

In the dis'engaged condition of the sealing device, the leg port-ion 27 extend in `1a direction substantially in-.alignrnent'with :the liplp-ortion 29 o f the sealing element vor. leg porno-n26. The sealing element or leg portionZS eX- tends at an angle outwardly of the vehicle body `and ;subst-antially at; a right angle to the leg portionV 27.-

The sealing element or leg portion 27 terminates in an enlarged head 32. The sealing element or leg portion 28 has an inw-ardly projecting lip 33 which extends in a di ection substantially normal to the vinner surface of the sealing element or leg portion 28. Embedded in the divergent sealing elements or lip portions 27 and 28 is a Strip 34 of non-elastomeric material, preferably metal of the quality of spring steel, which in cross section has a substantially concave Shape so lthat it extends through the juncture 31 of the two sealing elements or leg portions 27 and 28 for a substantial distance into each sealing element or leg por-tion. The purpose of this strip 34 will be explained.

PIG. 3 illustrates the appearance of the Weather-strip or sealing device when lthe frame 17 on the window is not in contact with it, either by reason of the window being down or the vehicle door being open. If the window is raised from a lowered position when the door is in a closed condition, the corner of the Window frame formed by the intersection of its base 13 and side 21 will move into engagement with the head 32 on the sealing element or leg portion 27 and the terminalend of the lip 29 on the sealing element or lip portion 26. With the Window in fully raised position, -as shown in FIG. 2, the terminal end portion of the lip 29 will provide a seal between the surface of the window frame side v211. and the bead 32 will rest on the top of the window frame in close relationship to the terminal end portion of Vthe lip 29. This engagement 'of the bead 32, however, with the upper surface of the frame 18 results in the sealing element or leg portion 27 being swung toward the base 25 of the sealing device. This -swinging movement is refiected in a corresponding swinging movement of the sealing element or leg portion 28, the latter being swung The strip 34 ensuresthat both sealing elements 27 and 28`move in coordinated movement into sealing engagement with the top and sides of the window frame.

Should the vehicle door be swung to an open position, when the window is raised as shown in FIG. 2, it

is readily apparent'that the channel structure encompassingV the peripheral edge of the window panel will merely abut the sealingV element or leg portion 28 to cause the latter to be swung in a clockwise direction as viewed in PIG; 2. The neck portion 31 connecting lthe leg'elernent 27 and the leg'element 28 to the base portion is sufficiently fiexible so that the window may tilt the divergent leg or sealing elements sufliciently to pass out from underneath. V

Should the window be up when the'dooi' is swung from an open 'to a closed position, there is very little interference between the extremities of the sealing element 28 wi-th passage of the Window therebeneath, both the tip end of the leg portion 28 and the tip end of the sealing element lip 33 being 'sufficiently' fiexible to `1et the window frame pass therebeneath. The actual swinging rnovement of the leg portion 28 into sealing engagement with the outer surface'of' the window frame will not occur until the upper inner corner of the Window frame abuts the bead 32.

It will be understood that the inven-tion `is not 'to be limited to the extact construction ,shown anddescribed, but that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the sprit and` scope of Vthe invention, as defined in the appended claims.

We claim: v i

1. A weatherstrip attachable to a vehicle body rail section defining an edge of a lbody opening receiving a closure,

in a counterclockwise direction :as viewed in FIG. 2 tosaid weatherstrip comprising an elongated elastomeric member having a base fastenable to rail section,

a leg at one longitudinal edge of said base extending in a direction perpendicular to the latter,

said leg terminating in an angularly related lip extending toward said base,

a flap means consisting of a pair of legs extending in divergent relationship to one another and connected by an integral neck to said base at the other longitudinal edge of the latter,

one of said divergent legs in the unflexed position thereof extending in a general direction of said lip and terminating in a bead,

said bead being spaced from the terminus of said lip,

said bead and said lip being engageable by adjacent corner surfaces of said closure to flex said one divergentileg and said lip toward the intersection of said base and firstimentioned leg,

the resistance to such flexure providing weatherseal pressure against said adjacent corner surfaces,

said one divergent leg When flexed by said closure causing the other divergent leg to be swung toward said closure for sealing engagement Vwith a third surface thereof,

and nonelastomeric means embedded in said fiap means and ex'tending into each of said divergent legs to cause the latter to be swingable in unison upon engagement of said bead by said closure. i

2. A weatherstrip attachable to a vehicle body rail section defining :an edge of a body opening receiving a closure, I

said weatherstrip comprising an elongated elastomeric member having a base fastenable to rail section,

a leg at one longitudinal edge of said base extending in a direction perpendicular to the latter,

said leg terminating in an angularly related lip extending toward said base,

-a fiap means Vconsisting of 'a pair of legs extending in divergent relationship to one another and connected by an integral neck-to said base at the other longitudinal edge of the latter,

one of said divergent legs in the unfiexed position thereof extending in a general direction of said lip and terminating in a longitudinally extending head,

said bead being spaced from the terminus of said lip,

said bead and said lip being engageable by the top .surface and Vthe inner surface, respectively, of said closure to' flex said one divergent leg and said lip toward the'interseotionof said base and first mentioned leg, I

the resistance to said flexure providing Weatherseal pressure against said top and inner surfaces,

' said other divergent leg having a lip on the side thereof toward said one divergent leg,

said one divergent leg when flexed by said closure causing the other divergent leg to be swung toward the outer surface of said closure for sealing engagement of the lip there'on With said outer surface of said closure,

an a non-elastomeric strip embedded in said flap means vand extending from said head to the lip on said other divergent'leg to cause said divergent legs vto be swingable in unison upon engagement of said 'bead by said closure.

' References Cited in the file of this patent i UNITED STATES PATENTS 2.737,412 i .Smith et al. Mar. 6, 1956 2,813,748 Panik Nov. 19, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 634,860 Germany sept. 5, y1936 

1. A WEATHERSTRIP ATTACHABLE TO A VEHICLE BODY RAIL SECTION DEFINING AN EDGE OF A BODY OPENING RECEIVING A CLOSURE, SAID WEATHERSTRIP COMPRISING AN ELONGATED ELASTOMERIC MEMBER HAVING A BASE FASTENABLE TO RAIL SECTION, A LEG AT ONE LONGITUDINAL EDGE OF SAID BASE EXTENDING IN A DIRECTION PERPENDICULAR TO THE LATTER, SAID LEG TERMINATING IN AN ANGULARLY RELATED LIP EXTENDING TOWARD SAID BASE, A FLAP MEANS CONSISTING OF A PAIR OF LEGS EXTENDING IN DIVERGENT RELATIONSHIP TO ONE ANOTHER AND CONNECTED BY AN INTEGRAL NECK TO SAID BASE AT THE OTHER LONGITUDINAL EDGE OF THE LATTER, ONE OF SAID DIVERGENT LEGS IN THE UNFLEXED POSITION THEREOF EXTENDING IN A GENERAL DIRECTION OF SAID LIP AND TERMINATING IN A BEAD, SAID BEAD BEING SPACED FROM THE TERMINUS OF SAID LIP, SAID BEAD AND SAID LIP BEING ENGAGEABLE BY ADJACENT 